Roller screen for windows



Feb. 17, 1931. p ROBERTS ROLLER SCREEN FOR wmnows Filed May 11, 1926 Patented Feb. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN P. ROBERTS, OF NORTH TONAWANDA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD T0 LOUIS PHILIP PEREW AND ONE-THIRD TO JAMES MGK. 'IVIICHAELSON, BOTH OF NORTH TONAWANDA, NEW YORK ROLLER scnnnn non wrnnows Application filed May 11, 1926. Serial No. 108,260..

This invention relates to the class of window screens comprising a hood at the top of the window casing or frame and a rolling screen attached to a spring roller which tends to wind up the screen and conceal it within the hood when not in use, the screen, when unrolled, being held in its normal position by a suitable catch or fastening.

One of the objects of the invention is to improve the guiding means at the edges of the screen with a view of preventing the wind from Withdrawing the screen from the guides.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the hood that it prevents buckling of the screen and keeps it smooth and flat and so that the usual binding strip at the lo W61. end of the screen may pass under the lower part of the hood when not in use, to completely move the screen out of the way and permit the application of the usual storm windows without requiring the removal of the screen or hood.

A still further objectis to provide a roller screen of this character which can be readily installed and which has simple and positive means for adjusting the tension of the rollerspring Without removing the screen or any of its parts.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a horizontal section of my improvement applied to a window frame. Figure 2 is a fragmentary transverse section thereof showing the screen in its raised or concealed position.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

10 indicates the body of the hood eXten-di n g across the top of the window-opening in the frame or casing 11, and preferably of substantiallly U-shaped cross-section; 12 is the spring roller housed in the hood, and 13 is the rolling screen secured at its upper end to the roller. The latter is provided at one end with the usual round spindle 14 journaled in a corresponding opening in the adjacent head or end wall 15 of the hood. At its other end, the roller is provided with a flat-sided spindle 16 which normally engages a locking notch 17 in the adjacent head 18 of the hood. This not-ch communicates with an enlargement or opening 19, the lower part of which is approximately circular and adapted to receive the flat spindle when it is desired to adjust the tension of the roller spring 20 which is done by turning the flat spindle 16 by meansof a wrench or other suitable tool after moving it'from thenotch 17 into the opening 19, said spindle being replaced in its notch after making the adjustment.

The screen is guided at its edges in vertical strips 21 secured at their outer edges to the face of the window casing to provide grooves or ways 22 Which receive the screen-edges. In'the preferred construction shown in the drawings, these guide grooves or channels are formed by raising the inner portions of the strips above the plane of their outer portions.

as shown in Fig. 2, the upper ends of the guide-strips extend into the hood, whereby the latter serve as guards which prevent rain and snow from leaking into the upper end thereof. The lower wall of the hood terminates in a downwardly-extending flange 26 arranged in proximity to the face of the screen and serves to prevent buckling thereof and to keep it smooth. and flat by the movement of the screen past the flange.

For the purpose of facilitating the raising and lowering of the screen, its lower or free edge may be provided with a sheet metal binding strip'27. To permit this binding strip to enter the hood with its lower edge substantially flush with the top edge of the window-opening, as shown in Fig. 2, the lower portion of the hood is yieldable, allowing the binding strip to pass snugly between the hood-flange 26 and the face of the window frame. For this purpose, the hood is free or detached at its lower edge and its ends are fastened to the frame at is top by screws 28 i or other fastenings passing through the at-' taching flange 29 projecting from the upper edge of the hood. The heads or end-walls 15, 18 of the hood to this end are separate therefrom and provided with inwardly-extending lips 30 which loosely overlap the end-portions of the hood. These end-walls are suitably secured to the face of the windew-casing, being provided with basefianges 31 through which pass screws or other fasteners. By this construction, the end walls, While properly closing the hood, permit the necessary springing of the hood to allow the binding strip of the screen to pass into the hood, as before described. This feature permits the entire screen, including the binding strip, to fully clear the windowopening,when not in use and allows an ordinary storm window to be put into it without the necessity of removing the screen and its hood.

At its lower edge, the binding strip 27 is preferably provided with an inwardly fac ing, lateral flange 32 with which a turn button or like device applied to the window-sill is adapted to engage for holding the unrolled screen down in place. As shown in Fig. 2, the flange 32 also acts as a stop to limit the upward movement of the screen.

In order to compactly wind the screen 13 on the roller 12, a series oi spring-pressed bearing rollers 36 may be employed, which contact with the upper rear side of the screenrollcr. These rollers, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, are mounted on a shaft 37 supported at its ends in the hood-caps l5, l8 and are constantly urged toward the screen-roller by any suitable means.

This improved device can be readily installedv and when once applied remains in place and protects the wound-up screen in all seasons. It fits the screen with suflicient closeness to protect the rolled-up screen and the spring roller from the weather, While its yieldable capacity prevents it from interfering with the easy application of the usual storm windows.

The device is, moreover, simple and inexpensive.

I claim as my invention An enclosure for roller window-screens, comprising a resilient hood adapted for attachment at its upper edge to a windowiirame and detached therefrom at its lower edge to allow for the passage of the screen into and out of the hood with the lower edge of the latter in yielding engagement with the screen, and detachable end walls for the hood having a flange for attachment to the window-frame and constituting bearing sup.- ports for the screen-roller, saidend walls liaving raidially disposed lips arranged to. nor mally overlap the marginal end portions of the hood in spaced relation thereto and forming stops for limiting the expansion of the hood.

JOHN P. ROBERTS. 

